Tractor-drawn disc plow



April 27, 1948. c. H, GEMBERLING- 2,440,581

TRACTOR-DRAW DIsc PLow Filed April 8, 1944 V2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ron/Hemerlay R "1 l S E?! f2 BY April 27, 1948. c. H. GEMBERLING 2,440,581

TRAcToR-DRAwN msc Priow Filed April 8, 19444 JNVENToR. I amber? Patented Apr. 27, 1948 24,440,581 Tanc'ron-nnAwN msc rLow l Cameron H. Gemberling, South Bend, lInd., as-

slgnor to The llver Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application April 8, 1944, Serial No. 530,191

(Cl. ST1- 72) 3 claims. 1

The present invention relates generally to plows, but more particularly to a disc plow and a rack and pinion power lift mechanism.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, compact and improved overhead beam type of disc plow and a simplified construction of rack and pinion power lift mechanism associated therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved overhead beam type plow construction in which the land wheel is rigidly attached to the land wheel axle and the clutch power lift mechanism directly connected with said axle at a position spaced inwardly with respect to the land wheel, so as to increase its efficiency and reduce to a minimum the possibility of particles of soil dropping into the clutch mechanism by the rotation of the land wheel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved type of disc plow in which the rear portion of the plow is supported by a rear furrow wheel and a land wheel and the front end of the plow is supported by a tractor in combination with means for raising and lowering the plow by the power lift mechanism of the land wheel.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing a construction and an arrangement of the various parts in the manner hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the `appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved plow construction;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of my improved type of rack and pinion power lift mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed side elevational view showing the manner of attachment with the tractor.

In carrying out my invention, I have shown the same as comprising rearwardly and diagonally extending main frame or overhead beam I0 of non-circular cross section and may be of any desired 'length for adjustably supporting a plurality of discs II. These discs II are suspended from the beam IU by depending hangers I2 which have their upper ends adjustably secured or clamped to the main beam I0 by clamping caps I3 and bolts I4.

Adjustably secured at a point adjacent the rear end o f the main beam I0 to which the rear furrow wheel `and land wheel are attached as a unit, is a supplemental frame. generally designated by 2 the reference character I E. 'I'his supplemental frame I5 is substantially in the form of a triangle and may be adjusted along the diagonal main frame or beam I0 `so that additional discs may beV added to those shown in the drawings, or the rearmost disc may be removed from the beam I0 and the supplemental frame moved forwardly so as to reduce the size of the plow. This supplemental frame or unit I5 comprises forwardly and rearwardly diverging frame members I6 and I'I respectively which have their outer ends extending parallel and secured to a land wheel axle bearing bracket I8 by means of bolts I9. The inner portion of the frame member l1 extends at right angles to the line of draft as shown in 20 and is adjustably and slidably secured to the main beam III by a bracket 2|. The transverse portion 20 of the frame member I1 is securedv to the bracket 2I by means of bolts 22. The upper portion of the bracket 2| has a recess therein complementary to the beam for clamping the same thereto by means ofclamp caps 23 and bolts 24. Secured to the innermost end of the frame member I1 by means of bolts 25 is a rear furrow wheel axle bracket 26. Pivoted to the rear axle bracket 26 by means of `a pin 21 is a rear wheel axle sleeve 28 in which is journaled the upwardly extending shank of the angularly disposed rear furrow wheel axle 29 in the manner well understood in the art. Journaled on the right angularly bent portion of the axle 29 is the usual rear` furrow wheel 39. The forward frame member I6 of the supplemental frame I5 is `preferably made of round stock and is provided with a shoulder as shown at 3i against which the longitudinal brace member 32 abuts. The rear end of the brace member 32 is secured by being bolted or welded to the transverse portion `2D of the rear frame member Il. The inner portion of the frame -member I6 extends through and forms the bearing for a barrel or bearing portion 93 of a lever, generally indicated by the reference character 34, hereinafter more fully described. The inner end of the frame member i6 is secured to a bracket 35 by means o1' a bolt 36. The bracket 35 is slidably and adiustably secured to themain beam I0 by means of a U-bolt 3l. The frame members I6 and I1 of the supplemental adjustable frame I5 is further reinforced by a longitudinal brace member 38 which has its opposite ends bolted or welded to these respective members as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The bearing bracket I8 is provided with a relatively long bearing barrel 39 and is provided at its inner end with an upwardly extending ear 3 48 which, in turn, is secured to the longitudinal brace 38 by a bolt 4|. Journaled in the bearing barrel 39 is a land wheel axle 42. Rigidly-secured to the outer end of the land wheel axle 42 by means of a bolt 43 is a land wheel 44. Rigidly secured adjacent the inner end of the land wheel axle 42 by means of set screws 45 is a continushown, which has its forward end connected to the lever and its rearward end to an ear formedon the bracket 2|.

ously rotating clutch member 46. Journaled on the inner end of the axle 42 and adapted to cooperate with the clutch member 46 is an intermittently actuated clutch member 41. Formed integrally with and spaced inwardly from the clutch member 41 is a pinion 48. Adapted to cooperate with the pinion 48 in forming the power lift mechanism is a rack bar 49 which has a series of uniformly spaced pins 59 projecting from one side thereof and a rearwardly positioned pin 5| projecting from the other side thereof. The foremost pin 59 is relatively alittle longer than the other pins and has journaled on the outer portion thereof a roller 52 for the purpose hereinafter set forth. Positioned on one side of the bar 49 and secured by means of bolts 53 to the longitudinal brace 32 is a rack guide plate 54. The rearward edge of the rack guide plate 54 is provided with a curved or cammed surface as shown at -55 which lies in the path of and is adapted to engage the rack pin 5| on the rear end of the rack bar 49 in retaining the rearmost pin 50 in gearing relation with the pinion 48 on the rearward return of the rack bar. Secured to and spaced from the rack bar plate 54 is a second rack bar guide plate 56 which is secured to the first plate by means of bolts 51. The plate 56 is positioned outside and adjacent to the pinion 48 and is provided with a circular guide surface 58. This guide surface 58 is located in the path of the roller` 52 mounted on the foremost pin 50 of the rack bar 49 for guiding the rack bar and maintaining this foremost pin in engagement with the pinion when thel rack bar reaches its rearmost position. The forward end of the rack bar 49 yis pivotally connected by means of a pin 59 to the bifurcated portion 60 of a lower arm 6| of the lever 34. The lever 34 is provided with an upwardly extending arm 62, in the opposite sockets of which are upwardly extending' offset steel straps 63, which are secured in place by bolts 64. The depth adjustment of the rear portion of the plow or the adjustment of the rear furrow wheel is controlled by a, hand crank 65, which is mounted or journaled in a swivel connection, generally indicated by the reference character 66. This connection is supported in the aligned apertures 61 in and between the spaced steel straps 63. This hand adjustment 65 includes the conventional hand screw arrangement of an internally threaded sleeve, generally indicated by the reference character 68 and has its rear end pivotally connected as shown at 69 to a lever or arm 10, which in turn is bolted to the rear axle sleeve 28 in a manner well understood in the art. Pivotally mounted on a bracket 12 secured to frame member I1 by the bolt 13 is a trip lever 14, which may be provided with the usual trip cord extending therefrom to the operators seat on the tractor. Secured to the lower end of the lever 14 is an offset bracket 15. Positioned betweenl the bracket 15 and the lower end of the lever 14 is a roller or stop 16 which is adapted to engage a pawl 11 of the intermit- 'tently actuated clutch member 41 in a manner i well understood in the art. The lever is normally swung to its rearmost position, or into, engagement with the pawl 11 by a spring, not

From the above description it will be obvious that I have provided a universal and unitary power lift mechanism for raising and lowering the plow, for supporting the land wheel and the land wheel axle, for supporting and connecting the furrow wheel axle and an adjustment for manually adjusting the furrow wheel axle, all of which mechanism is rigidly secured in one unit in the form of a supplemental frame, which supplemental frame can be slidably adjusted and clamped in various positions of adjustment on the main frame or beam of the plow construction so that various sizes or number of plow discs may be mounted or supported from the beam without modifying or changing any of these parts to make the change in the size of the plow.

The front end of the plow in the present in-. vention is wholly supported on the draft bar of the tractor so that the front end of the plow is raised or lowered with respect to the draft bar of the tractor by the power derived from the power lift mechanism of the land wheel hereinbefore described, and the adjustment of the depth penetration of the front end of the plow is secured by adjusting the tractor draft bar with respect to the tractor.

This novel arrangement includes a downwardly and laterally extending draft bracket or plate |2| which is secured tothe forward end of the beam |0 by bolts |22. Secured to the lower end of the plate |2| by means of bolts |23 is an upwardly and rearwardly extending draft brace |24. The rear end of the brace |24 is securedto the beam I0 by a clamping plate |25 and bolts I4. Secured t9 the lower end of the plate |2| by welding or otherwise, is a vertically extending post or plate |26. Formed on the upper end of the plate |26 is a bearing |21 in which is journaled a crank shaft |28. One end of the shaft |28 is provided with an upwardly and forwardly extending crank |29 which has its outer end, as shown at |38, pivotally connected to the forward end of the connecting link |3I. The rear end of the link |3| is pivotally connected as shown at |32 to one of the upper arms 63 of the lever 34. Secured to the other end of the crank shaft |23 is a rearwardly extending crank |33. The free end of the crank |33 is pivotally connected as shown at |34 to a link |35. The other end of the link |35 is pivotally connected as shown at |36 to an ear |31 formed integrally with a draft clevis or hook |38. The draft hook |38 is pivotally connected as shown at |39 to the flangesv of a channel bracket |40 which in turn is secured below the lower end of the draft bracket |2| by ybolts |23. The draft hook |38 is adapted to engage the rear end of a substantially V-shaped draft bar l4| which has its forward spaced apart ends pivotally connected to the rear frame or housing of a tractor, generally indicated by the reference character |42. The draft bar v|4| can be manually adjusted for regulating the height of the front end of the plow and depth penetration of the discs from the operators seat on the tractor by ahand operating lever, sector and detent mechanism |43 which is supported on the upper portion of the tractor frame by brackets |43, |44 and a transverse angle |45. One end of the lever is pivotally connected as shown at |46 to the upper end of a spring pressed connecting rod |41. The lower end of the rod |41 is pivotally connected as shown at |48 to one end of a transverse angle member |48, which in turn is secured to the draft bar |4| by means of U-bolts |49. The hook |38 is held in engagement with the draft bar by a plate |50 which has its forward end secured to the transverse member |49 by bolts |5|. For a more detailed description of the construction of this adjustable draft hitch mechanism mounted on the tractor, reference may be had to H. E. Altgelt Patent No. 2,271,533, dated February 3, 1942. This lever mechanism |43 permits the adjustment of the depth penetration of the discs at the front end of the plow.

From the above construction it will be readily seen that the front end of the plow frame attached to the draw bar of the tractor is simultaneously raised or lowered with the rear end of the frame on the rear furrow wheel by the power lift mechanism operatively connected to the land wheel of the plow. The employment of this power lift or power actuated draft clevis or hook |38 supported on the draft bar of the tractor dispenses with the use of the front furrow wheel and permits the plow to be connected more closely to the tractor which provides certain advantages in turning at the ends of the field, and reduces the cost of manufacture to a substantial degree. The pivoted draw bar 4| of the tractor is manually adjustable from the operators seat on the tractor by the manipulation of the lever mechanism |43 for regulating the depth penetration of the discs on the front end of the plow frame.

Other advantages of my improved plow include the combining of the 'power lift mechanism, the land wheel, the rear furrow wheel, the clutch mechanism, the adjustment for the rear furrow Wheel and the tripping mechanism for the clutch into a single unit and on a supplemental frame which can be detachably and adjustably connected to the main beam of the plow so that various lengths of beams and various numbers of discs may be employed, or a long beam in which any desired number of discs may be supported thereon, I have not only provided a simple and compact structure and one which is economical to manufacture, but also one which will be adapted to fit a variety of sizes of plows.

While in the above specification I have disclosed one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will, of course, be understood that the same is capable of modification and that modification may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A plow comprising a main frame, an adjustable rear furrow wheel supporting the rear end of said frame, a draft hook pivoted to the front end of said main frame and on the draft bar of a, tractor, a land wheel for said main frame, and a power lift mechanism driven by said land wheel and operatively connected to said draft hook and said rear furrow wheel for raising and lowering said plow frame.

2. A disc plow comprising a frame, means for connecting and supporting the front end of said frame on the draft bar of a tractor, a rear furrow wheel supporting the rear end of said frame and movable relative thereto, an axle journaled on said frame, a land wheel secured to one end of said axle, a continuously driven clutch member secured adjacent the other end of said axle, an intermittently driven clutch member journaled on said axle and cooperating with said4 first named clutch member, a, pinion formed integrally with said intermittently driven clutch member, a rack engageable with and actuated by said pinion, a lever pivoted to said frame and having one end thereof pivotally connected to said rack, and operative connections between the other end of said lever and said means and furrow wheel for raising and lowering said frame.

3. A disc plow comprising a frame, a draft clevis pivoted to said main frame for supporting and connecting the front end of said frame on the draft bar of a tractor, a rear furrow wheel supporting the rear end of said frame and movable relative thereto, an axle journaled on said frame, a land wheel secured adjacent the other end of said axle, an intermittently driven clutch member journaled on said axle and cooperating with said first named clutch member, a pinion formed integrally with said intermittently driven clutch member, a rack engageable with and actuated by said pinion, a. lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said frame, a link connecting one end of said lever with said rack, and operative connection between the other end of said lever and said draft clevis and said furrow wheel for raising and lowering said frame.

CAMERON H. GEMBERLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,377,049 Altgelt May 3, 1921 1,718,762 Scarlett June 25, 1929 2,057,080 Altgelt et al Oct. 13, 1936 2,065,015 Nielsen Dec. 22, 1936 2,202,931 Strandlund June 4, 1940 2,248,505 McKahin July 8, 1941 2,271,533 Altgelt Feb. 3, 1942 2,351,369 Rutter June 13, 1944 2,390,968 Traphagen Dec. 11, 1945 

